Tang Contemporary Art – Beijing is pleased to present an exhibition of new paintings by the renowned German artist Jonas Burgert. After his debut show in Hong Kong in August 2019, Jonas Burgert returns with his latest works to Asia. His oil paintings, bronze sculptures and also works on paper will be brought to our Beijing 2nd space for a comprehensive understanding towards his grotesque portraiture.
"For me is not interesting to show what it’s there, for me it’s interesting to show what’s also there. The subtext. I try to see what’s behind the people around me. What’s behind the surface." Says Burgert. "Painting is a visual media; how can I show what’s behind the surface visually. Maybe it’s a very little thing, sometimes I make very little gestures, sometimes I make very it dramatic. It's interesting for me to see what’s behind the scene, and not only the bad things, also the good things".
Burgert uses both large surfaces with great visual impact and smaller canvases for a deeper examination into individual subjects, with portraits of mystique characters. If they were under a microscope. Burgert has the quality to introduce us to a visual collection of events and individuals in which we can identify us with. His paintings reveal human figures dressed in odd costumes, decorated faces, and obscure objects. What is carcass and what is alive is often unclear. Darkness looms in the paintings of Burgert, which reminds the viewer of the dangerous play of life and death. It's clear to see references of renaissance and the Flemish masters such as Hieronymus Bosch are apparent in Burgert’s paintings.
Jonas Burgert
b. 1969 Berlin, Germany
Jonas Burgert paints a stage every time that he lifts his brush: with every stroke, with every composition. His works depict the inexhaustible theatre play that Burgert considers to be human existence: man’s need to make sense of his purpose in life. It is a quest that seems inconclusive, but which opens doors to every sphere of reasoning, imagination and desire. Oversized canvases are crowded with fantastical figures of different proportions. Jonas Burgert graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Berlin, in 1996 and consecutively studied for a postgraduate title (Meisterschueler) under Professor Dieter Hacker in Berlin.
Since 1998, his work has been on view in numerous group shows around the world, including Geschichtenerzaehler at Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg (2003), and Triumph of Painting Part VI at London’s Saatchi Gallery (2006). Since 2006 Burgert’s work has been on view in solo exhibitions around the world, including: ZEITLAICH, Blain|Southern Berlin, DE (2017); Schutt und Futter, Hannover Kestnergesellschaft, Hannover, DE (2013); Jonas Burgert: Lebendversuch, Kunsthalle Tübingen, DE (2010 - 2011); Jonas Burgert: Hitting every head, Haunch of Venison, London, UK (2009) and Jonas Burgert: Enigmatic Narrative, Victoria H. Myhren Gallery, University of Denver, US (2008). Public collections include Burger Collection, Hong Kong; Denver Art Museum, US; Rubell Family Art Collection, US and Taguchi Art Collection, Japan.
Kuang Wei & Emilie H. Kuang
Curators
Kuang Wei graduated from the stream of Visual Arts at the Danish Design School. Since 2006, he has worked as art director for Faurschou Foundation, Red Brick Museum, and Star Foundation respectively. Emilie H. Kuang is currently studying Art History at the Aarhus University in Denmark.